Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Why should the American taxpayer bail out selected bankers and financial institutions from the consequences of their poor economic decisions, their business mistakes?

Why should the American taxpayer bail out selected homeowners who knowingly signed mortgages they could not afford?

If our objective is to avoid an imminent recession or another Great Depression, why doesn't the United States government spend the $1 trillion by giving it away to the 300 million Americans, every man woman and child, each receiving about $3000, a better way to stimulate the economy?

That stimulus package would immediately find its way into businesses delivering goods and services or into the banks as personal savings. The impact of this money flow would support commercial activity at every level, encourage business investment, and refurbish the capital of banks in the traditional manner.

To clear the question of bank solvency, the U.S. Treasury could declare a brief bank holiday, send bank examiners to every bank to determine solvency by measuring the value of failed loans and investments against valid assets. Then the solvent banks would be given the right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury the discounted value of the failed loans and investments, the borrowed amount to be repaid within a fixed time period, and if not to lose its license.

The best way to avoid recession and economic stagnation is to put purchasing power into the hands of the entire population. We should not subsidize the people and institutions at the top of the financial pyramid. We should subsidize everybody for a jump start and to assure universal participation and quick approval.